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May 26, 1925.

C. M. LINDSAY AUXILIARY IGNITI 0N CIRCUIT Filed Nov. 15. 192.'5

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Patented -May 26, 1925.

UNITED STATES CHARLES H. LINDSAY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

AUXILIARY IGNITION CIRCUIT.

Application filed November 15, 1923. Serial- No. 674,997.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. LINDSAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Auxiliary Ignition Circuits, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in auxiliary ignition circuits and more particularly to the circuits to be used with the ignition systems of gas engines and the like.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide what may be termed a booster of simple and practical construction which may be inexpensively manufactured, assembled and installed.

' A further object is to provide an apparatus of the above character adapted to cause a series of rapid interruptions in the primary circuit during the period the breaker mechanism is open thereby to give a hot intense spark available for ignition purposes.

A further object is to provide a mechanism of the above character adapted to eliminate re-i ition and back firing.

Ot er 0 jects will be in art obvious and in part hereinafter pointe out in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings wherein is shown one of various possible embodiments of the invention.

Referring now to this drawing in detail, the auxiliary circuit is shown as applied to a simple ignition system in order that this application may be more apparent. The circult has four main terminalsmarked A, B, O and D connected by heavy lines which show the external wiring of t e booster circuit. The lighter lines leading from these four main terminals designate the internal wiring of the booster circuit. As the booster circuit is only required for starting internal combustion engines, it is controlled by a double contact push button, the terminals of which are designated by the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4. I

On pushing the double contact push button the booster circuit is connected to the ignition system. On release of the push button the parts are restored to normal position and the ignition system to normal oper-' ating position.

On the pressing of the double contact push button, the circuits 1 and 4, and 2 and 3 are closed but no electrical connection exists between the terminals 1 and 2 or 3 and 4, the

vided in such circuits. When the primary circuit is opened by the interrupter O, a high tension current is induced in the secondary winding S of the induction coil which is transmitted to and through the distributor and rotor S to the spark plugs T producing a single spark for each interruption of the primary circuit by the interrupter 0.

At the usual slow cranking speed of an internal combustion engine, the sin le interruption is so sluggish that the lnductive action of the coil is less pronounced and only a weak spark, if any is produced at all,

which accounts for the difliculty experienced in starting internal combustion engines in cold weather.

When the primary circuit is opened by the interrupter contacts and during the entire period the interrupter contacts are open a continual flow of sparks is produced at the spark plugs of a frequency and temperature sufiicient to ignite a razr or poorly mixed charge of fuel.

It should be noted that the booster only functions when the primary circuit interrupter contacts are open, which, in the ty of ignition system described, is during t e ignition and combustion period of each cycle of the engines operation. This causes the sparks produced to be correctly timed or s chronized with the engine and eliminates t e need for the s ecial interrupters or distributers require in other systems producing continuous nonsynchronous sparks.

When the double contact push button is pressed and the switch R closed the electric current flows from the battery Q, through the switch to terminal BB of a resistance coil P, where it divides with part of the current taking the path of less resistance through the heavy line to the main booster terminal B. This is connected to the double push button contact 2 thence, on closing of the push button to the terminal 3 which is connected to main booster terminal A. The

current then flows to the terminal AA ad-' jacent the resistance coil P providing a shunt circuit around the resistance coil P of low resistance and permitting the full force of the battery Q to be used for starting. From the terminal AA the electric current flows through the primary winding of the induction coil P to the terminal DD of the interrupter. If the interrupter contacts are closed the current flows through the contacts to the ground and no action takes place. Assuming, however, that these contacts are open then the current flows from the interrupter terminal DD through the heavy line to the main booster terminal D and the internal wiring to the point D where the current divides, part passing through accumulative electro-magnetic vibrator windings N to a terminal F, the other part of the current passing through the noninductive low resistance shunt G to terminal F.

From this terminal F the current flows to and through the iron case K of the windings N, frame H and vibrating member J to the vibrator contacts, one of which, I, is connected through the winding N which magnetizes the core K. The contacts I cause the electro-magnetic field of the core K to collapse thereby permitting a tension spring M to draw the vibrating member J back to its original position and close the contacts I.

This completes a cycle of operation of the vibrator, which cycle occurs between five and six hundred times per second. Connected to the frame H and the insulated contact point I is a condenserL to protect the contact points I and assist during the period of its discharge in the rapid collapse of the electro-magnetic field, thereby accelerating the movement of the vibrating member J. An adjusting screw is provided to vary the tension of the spring M as shown when tuning the vibrator to the required pitch. The electric current after passing through the vibrator goes from the insulated contact point I through the terminal E-to the terminal 1 of the double contact push button thence through the push button contacts to terminal 4 and to the main booster terminal C which is grounded.

In order for the booster circuit to o erate satisfactorily it is preferable that t 1e total resistance of the circuit be low and the speed of the vibrator high.

The improved booster circuit herein shown with tire, two magnetic w1nd1ngs on the core anll a low resistance, non-inductive shunt G in parallel with the windings N permits the use of a lighter tension spring M and consequently gives higher speed of the vibrating member J and likewise less energy to operate.

It will thus be seen that the resent invention provides a reliable and e cient auxiliary circuit particularly adapted for use fvlirth ignition systems of gas engines and the Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claims.

What I claim is 1. In a system of the character described, the combination with a normally closed mechanically operated primary circuit interrupter, opened only during the ignition period of each cycle of an engines operation, a condenser connected in parallel with said interrupter, a distributor, a battery connected therewith, an induction coil between the distributor and the battery and a resistance coil associated with the induction coil, of means for passing a continuous series of sparks through the distributor and only during the ignition and combustion period of each cycle of the engines operation, said means including a high frequency low resistance electro-magnetically operated vibrator in shunt with the mechanically operated primary circuit interrupter, said vibrator consisting of a low resistance, inductive winding, a low resistance noninductive winding shunted across,or connected in parallel with the inductive winding, a vibrating member connected in series with the windings, two contact points, one mounted on the vibrating member. the other normally stationary, means to adjust the stationary contact point, a condenser in shunt with the contact points and a double pole push button, one pole serving to connect the stationary contact to ground, the other pole of the push button being connected in such a manner that it shorts out the resistance coil in the primarycircuit.

2. In a system of the character described, the combination with a normally closed mechanically operated primary circuit interrupter open only during the ignition period of each cycle of an engines operation, a

coil, and improved means for shorting out said resistance coil and passing a continuous series of sparks through the distributor and only during the ignition and combustion period of each cycle of the engines operation.

3. In a system of the character described, the combination of a normally closed mechanically operated primary circuit interrupter open only during the ignition period of each cycle of an engines operation, a condenser connected in parallel with said interrupter, a battery and the primary circuit of an induction coil connected therewith, and a resistance coil associated with the induction coil and semi-automatic means for shorting out said resistance coil, and a distributor connected to the secondary circuit of the induction coil, and a high frequency, low re-' sistance, magnetically operated interrupter connected in parallel with the mechanically operated primary circuit interrupter.

4. In a system of the character described, the combination with a normally closed mechanically operated primary circuit interrupter open only durlng the ignition period of each cycle of an engines operation, a condenser connected in parallel with said interrupter, a battery and the primary circuit of an induction coil connected therewith, and a resistance coil associated with the induction coil and semi-automatic means for shorting out said resistance coil, and a distributor connected to the secondary circuit of the induction coil, and means for passing a continuous series of sparks through the discombustion period of each cycle of the engines operation, said means including a high frequency, low resistance, electro-magnetic vibrator, having two low resistance cumulative inductive windings connected in parallel, and a low resistance non-inductive winding connected in parallel with the inductive windings.

5. In a system of the character described, the combination with a normally closed mechanically operated primary circuit interrupter open only during the ignition period of each cycle of an engines operation, a condenser in parallel with said interrupter, a battery and the primary circuit of an induction coil connected therewith. and a resist-- ance coil associated with the induction coil and semi-automatic means for shorting out said resistance coil, and a distributor connected to the secondary circuit of the induction coil, and means for passing a con-- tinuous series of sparks through the distributor and only during the ignition and combustion period of each cycle of the engines operation, said means including a high frequency electro-magnetic vibrator having two low resistance cumulative windings connected in parallel, and anon-inductive low resistance shunt con nectedin parallel with said vibrator windings.

of sparks through the trlbutor and only during the ignitlon and.

6. In a system of the character described, the combination with a normally closed mechanically operated primary circuit interrupter opened only during the ignition period of each cycle of an engines operation, a condenser in parallel with said interrupter, a battery and the primary circuit of an'induction coil connected therewith, and a resistance coil associated with the induction coil and semi-automatic means for shorting out said resistance coil, and a distributor connected. to the secondary circuit of the induction coil, and means for passing a continuous series of sparks through the distributor and only during the ignition and combustion period of each cycle of the engines operation, said means including a high frequency electro-magnetlc vibrator, having two low resistance cumulative windings connected in parallel, and a non-inductive low resistance shunt connected in parallel with said vibrator windings, and a means for adjusting the period of vibration.

7. In a system of the character described, the combination with a normally closed mechani'cally operated primary circuit inter rupter open only during the ignition period of each cycle of an engines operation, a condenser in parallel with said interrupter, a battery and the primary circuit of an induction coil connected therewith. and a resistanr'e coil associated with the induction coil. and means for passing a continuous series distributor and only during the ignition and combustion period of each cycle of the engines operation, said means including a high frequency electromagnetic vibrator, having two low resistance cumulative windingsconnected in parallel,

, and a double pole push button for connecting the vibrator to ground and shorting out the resistance coil.

8. In a system of the character described, in combination. a mechanically operated primary circuit interrupter mechanism and an ignition system whose mechanically operated primary circuit interrupter is normally closed except during the ignition and combustion period of each cycle of the engines operation, a condenser in parallel with said interrupter, an induction coil, a resistance coil associated therewith. a high frequency low resistance electro-magnetic vibrator connected in parallel with the mechanically operated primary circuit interrupter and a double pole push button for the purpose of connecting the vibrator in circuit by pair of contacts and to short out the resistance coil usually connected in the primary circuit of such an ignition system with the other pair of contacts.

Signed at Washington, District of Columbia, this 4th day of October, 1923.

CHARLES M. LINDSAY. 

